BIG PHARMA EARNINGS WATCH: SANOFI, BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB & ABBVIE

Aug 4, 2026

Brand Name Drug Companies Tout Patent Strategies on Blockbusters That Block Competition, Keep Prices High

This past week, Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb and AbbVie posted better-than-expected second-quarter earnings following price hikes across their portfolios to start the year. During their earnings calls, executives from both Sanofi and AbbVie vigorously defended their respective companies’ patent strategies around several of their blockbuster drugs, that block competition from more affordable alternatives and keep drug prices high.

During Sanofi’s earnings call, an analyst posed a question on the company’s strategy for maintaining exclusivity on its blockbuster eczema and asthma treatment Dupixent. In response, Sanofi General Counsel Roy Papatheodorou touted the company’s extensive patent portfolio on the drug and its commitment to extending market exclusivity for years to come: “We have a very strong patent portfolio around Dupixent … of course, we intend to vigorously defend it…I think what I can say, based on our experience, is that we do expect Dupixent to be protected beyond March 2031.” Papatheodorou also emphasized the company’s willingness to challenge future competition: “[W]e intend to really fight it out.”

Similarly, during AbbVie’s earnings call, an analyst asked about the company’s strategy around its blockbuster immunology drug Skyrizi. In response AbbVie CEO Rob Michael underscored the company’s strategy to strongly defend its patent portfolio around the drug: “Obviously, we have a strong track record of vigorously defending our patents and protecting our innovation, and I would expect that to continue.”

Sanofi’s and AbbVie’s comments highlight Big Pharma’s commitment to gaming the patent system to establish colossal patent portfolios that extend periods of exclusivity and block competition from more affordable alternatives, like generics and biosimilars.

Get a full recap of Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb and AbbVie’s recent second quarter earnings below.

Sanofi

Sanofi reported second quarter earnings that beat Wall Street estimates.
The French drugmaker reported second quarter sales of $13.4 billion.
Sanofi’s blockbuster eczema and asthma treatment Dupixent brought in $5.9 billion, up 28 percent year-over-year.

Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb posted second quarter earnings that beat Wall Street analysts’ expectations.
The company’s revenue for the second quarter rose 5.7 percent to $12.97 billion, ahead of Wall Street estimates of $11.74 billion.
Anemia treatment Reblozyl generated $735 million, while heart drug Camzyos generated $416 million.
Bristol Myers Squibb raised its full-year revenue forecast to between $49 billion to $50 billion from $46 billion to $47.5 billion previously.

AbbVie

AbbVie’s second quarter earnings beat Wall Street expectations, with revenue up 10 percent.
The company’s immunology drug Skyrizi brought in $5.51 billion, a 24 percent increase year-over-year, and autoimmune drug Rinvoq generated $2.53 billion, up 24.5 percent.
AbbVie’s immunology portfolio reported revenue of $8.79 billion, up 15 percent compared to this quarter last year.

All three companies’ second quarter earnings follow price hikes across their portfolios in recent years – including at the start of 2026.

Sanofi

So far this year, Sanofi raised prices on nine prescription drugs, including eczema and asthma treatment Dupixent, by five percent.
In 2025, Sanofi hiked prices on 11 prescription drugs.
In 2024, Sanofi increased the price of nine prescription drugs, including blockbuster drug Dupixent, by six percent.
Sanofi hiked prices on 20 prescription drugs in 2023.
Sanofi hiked prices on more than 11 prescription drugs in January 2022 and conducted an additional round of price hikes that summer.

Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb rang in 2026 with price hikes on nine prescription drugs.
In 2025, Bristol Myers Squibb hiked prices of 17 prescription drugs, including blood thinner drug Eliquis and cancer drug Opdivo by two percent.
The Big Pharma giant increased the prices of 18 prescription drugs in 2024, including a six percent increase on Eliquis.
Throughout 2023, the pharmaceutical giant raised the prices of 18 prescription drugs, including blockbuster blood thinner Eliquis by six percent.
In 2022 Bristol Myers Squibb hiked prices on 14 prescription drugs, including two key cancer drugs, Opdivo and Yervoy, as well as blockbuster blood thinner drug Eliquis.

AbbVie

AbbVie has hiked prices on 17 prescription drugs so far in 2026.
In 2025, AbbVie hiked prices on 17 prescription drugs, including Skyrizi by 4.1 percent and Rinvoq by five percent.
AbbVie increased prices on 18 prescription drugs in 2024, including a 4.5 percent price increase on Skyrizi and a five percent increase on Rinvoq.
AbbVie hiked prices on 17 prescription drugs in 2023, including an eight percent increase on blockbuster autoimmune drug Rinvoq.
In 2022, AbbVie increased prices on 14 prescription drugs.

Stay tuned as we continue to monitor second quarter earnings calls from brand name drug companies in the coming weeks.

Read more on second quarter earnings from AstraZeneca and GSK HERE.

Read more on second quarter earnings from Novartis and Roche HERE.

Read more on second quarter earnings from Johnson & Johnson HERE.

Learn more about solutions to lower prescription drug prices and hold Big Pharma accountable HERE.